After starting the 2019 NFL season a dismal 0-2, the New York Giants made the highly anticipated transition from their two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Eli Manning to their rookie quarterback Daniel Jones and have never looked back. Daniel Jones, who was selected by the Giants with the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft, wasted no time making a name for himself as he led the Giants to an electric victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first career start. Finishing the game with 336 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns, Jones created a tremendous amount of buzz around the league as Giants fans were confident that they had found their next franchise quarterback.
Following his exceptional week 3 performance against Tampa Bay, Jones led the Giants to their second win of the season against a weak Washington Redskins team. Jones did not have nearly as much success in his second start as he threw for 225 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Regardless of his subpar play against Washington, the Giants fan base praised Jones for winning back-to-back games in his first two NFL appearances. However, the excitement and optimism surrounding the Giants and the success of their rookie quarterback was short lived, as the team has gone on to lose their past six games.
When evaluating what exactly led to the collapse of the Giants this season it becomes clear that the blame cannot be solely placed on the shoulders of Daniel Jones, but rather, the organization as a whole. In his first eight games as the Giants starting quarterback Jones threw for 15 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, while being sacked a whopping 32 times. Heading into the 2019 season the Giants attempted to strengthen their offensive line with the additions of Kevin Zeitler at right guard and Mike Remmers at tackle.
Yet, the Giants have still managed to give up 4 sacks a game as their new O-Lineman have failed to make the direct impact the team was hoping for. Even though the Giants offensive line has provided their rookie quarterback with minimal protection in the pocket, Jones has been able to use his mobility to make the most of his opportunities.
Additionally, the Giants have faced a tremendous amount of adversity this season with injuries to many of their key skill players making it extremely difficult for Jones and the offense to develop any kind of rhythm. Specifically, star running back Saquon Barkley suffered a high ankle sprain in week 3 causing him to be sidelined for a total of three games. Considering Barkley is the Giants top offensive rushing weapon as well as a security blanket for Jones to dump the ball off to when under pressure, the offense struggled to be productive without their number one running back.
Also, the Giants top wide receiver Sterling Shepard has missed a total of six games this season with a concussion and his status moving forward remains in question. Without the Giants top two offensive playmakers on the field for the majority of this year, it is difficult to pin the team’s downfall on Jones as his true potential remains unknown.
On top of the various injuries and the poor offensive line, the Giants defense has been atrocious this year giving up nearly 29 points and 381 total yards per game this season. In last year’s draft the Giants made a push to improve their defensive unit by selecting interior lineman Dexter Lawrence in the first round and cornerback Deandre Baker in the second. Both of the rookies have shown sparks of talent, but the Giants will need much more assistance to reach the level of dominance that their defense was once known for.
As a result of the Giants poor defensive play, Jones has encountered many situations where he has to use his arm to keep the game even competitive. In last week’s matchup against the Jets, Jones threw for 4 touchdowns and no interceptions, but it was not enough as the defense let up 34 points. When you consider the Giants various flaws between their weak offensive line and horrific defense, it becomes apparent that Daniel Jones has performed extremely well for a team that has fallen far below average.
Written by Scott MacPherson
Big Apple Sports 